The NFL is stacked with high-quality wide receivers. It seems as though the last three NFL drafts in a row have produced some of the top receivers in the league, with the upcoming draft class potentially providing more. For the fantasy football world, this makes the position plentiful for every league.
Even though there are so many talented receivers in the NFL, only a handful of them are deemed as elite players in fantasy football. Ensuring a top 10 wide receiver can give you a nice advantage every week, especially if you play in PPR leagues.
A common strategy, known as “zero running back,” has become more popular over the years, especially with the emergence of legitimate young receivers coming into the NFL. Having one elite receiver is great, but you have a solid chance to draft two top talents onto your fantasy team. This might be the best strategy to go with for 2021, as the running back class has grown exponentially.
For redraft leagues, you’ll likely be able to find some solid running backs in rounds three through five. This means you could choose to draft two top-tier receivers, then turn around and find high ceiling running backs later.
No matter your draft strategy, solidifying your receiving core is essential for success for fantasy football. With the NFL being a pass-happy league these days, you’ll be able to find more fantasy-worthy players in this position than anywhere else. With that said, here are my top 10 wide receivers in fantasy football for 2021.
Fantasy Football: Top 10 Wide Receivers
1 | Stefon Diggs | Buffalo Bills
Stefon Diggs took the fantasy football world by storm last year. Before the start of the season, Diggs was being deemed as a potential bust by many of the experts. Some believed he had an attitude problem while playing for the Minnesota Vikings. Instead, Diggs dominated in his first year with the Buffalo Bills, racking up 127 receptions (career-high), 1,535 yards (career-high), and eight touchdowns. His 76.5% catch percentage made him Josh Allen’s favorite target.
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The Bills aim to reclaim the throne in the AFC East next year. The team doesn’t have the best running game for now, as Allen arguably produced as the best rusher for the offense. The passing attack in Buffalo is one of the best and there is no reason to believe Diggs regresses anytime soon. Josh Allen could potentially have the best year of his career in 2021, which means Diggs could be in for a monster season. He’s a must-have in fantasy football no matter the format.
2 | Davante Adams | Green Bay Packers
Davante Adams is one of the most dominant wide receivers in the league right now. He plays for the Green Bay Packers, who are one of the most pass-heavy teams in the league. Additionally, he’s Aaron Rodgers’ favorite target. Last year Adams proved to be the best fantasy receiver after posting an impressive 115 receptions, 1,374 yards, and 18 touchdowns.
The Packers didn’t acquire any new receivers in last year’s draft, which forced Rodgers to target Adams frequently. So far this offseason, the front office hasn’t acquired any new help in the wide receiver group again. Due to some of the head-scratching moves made by this franchise the last couple of years, who knows what they’ll do in the draft? Green Bay will go into next season with Davante Adams as the clear-cut WR1, making him a lethal fantasy option next year.
3 | AJ Brown | Tennessee Titans
Entering the third year of his career, AJ Brown has emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the game. He’s a YAC monster and plays angry. He’s also much stronger than most of the cornerbacks that he faces, which allows him to abuse the secondary every week. During his sophomore campaign, the Tennessee Titans rising star recorded 70 receptions, 1,075 yards, and 11 touchdowns.
The Titans offense starts with Derrick Henry, and Ryan Tannehill has done a fantastic job since earning the starting job midway through the 2019 season. Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith, both prominent pass catchers for the Titans, both signed to new teams this offseason. The front office has only brought in Josh Reynolds, spreading the receiver group thin in Tennessee. They likely pick a rookie or two in the upcoming draft, but even then, Brown is set up to be the number one target for Tannehill. It’s hard to imagine, but AJ Brown hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential yet and could be in for a massive year.
4 | Tyreek Hill | Kansas City Chiefs
Everyone is aware of the Kansas City Chiefs’ lethal offense by now, and it’s no question that Tyreek Hill is one of the best fantasy football assets in the game. He has the best quarterback in the league throwing him the ball and has an offensive genius calling plays. Combine that with Hill’s speed and agility, and you have yourself a WR1. Last year, Hill finished with 87 receptions, 1,276 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
Similar to the Packers and Titans, the Chiefs haven’t signed any top talent receivers in free agency, though, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. After reports of Juju Smith-Schuster turning down an offer, the Chiefs’ front office re-signed Demarcus Robinson. With Travis Kelce leading the way, and Tyreek Hill closely behind him, look for Patrick Mahomes to be throwing to his two favorite targets often next year.
5 | DeAndre Hopkins | Arizona Cardinals
Arguably the best wide receiver in the league, DeAndre Hopkins comes in as the fifth-best option in fantasy football for now. After being traded to the Arizona Cardinals, Hopkins had no problem making himself acquainted with his new team. He finished last year with 115 receptions, 1,407 yards, and six touchdowns, making it one of the best years of his career.
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Kyler Murray is a good quarterback still adjusting to the professional level. However, he was smart in making sure to target Hopkins as often as possible. Considering Arizona runs the Air-Raid offense, Hopkins is likely to repeat his performance from last season. Draft Hopkins confidently knowing you have a consistent producer week in and week out.
6 | Calvin Ridley | Atlanta Falcons
It’s tough to say, or even acknowledge, that Julio Jones is no longer the top receiver for the Atlanta Falcons anymore. Calvin Ridley has earned that right after dominating last season. Jones will be back in the lineup, but he’s likely to play more of a secondary role going forward. Due to Ridley’s impressive stat line of 90 receptions, 1,374 yards, and nine touchdowns, Matt Ryan has a new favorite target in the ATL.
The Falcons have been smart so far this offseason after signing Arthur Smith as their head coach. He’s been deemed as an offensive genius after generating a top offense in Tennessee the last year and a half. He should be able to design plays for Ridley to take control of games and be the best pass-catcher on the team. Even with Jones coming back from injury next year, you should feel great if you draft Ridley onto your fantasy football team.
7 | Keenan Allen | Los Angeles Chargers
Somehow, someway, Keenan Allen keeps getting slept on and it makes no sense. The man is easily one of the best receivers in the league, and now with Justin Herbert under center, Allen aims to be a legitimate fantasy option again. During his 2020 campaign, Allen finished with 100 receptions, 992 yards, and eight touchdowns.
Herbert won the Rookie of the Year award after going ballistic out of nowhere. The front office has done everything they can to ensure the pass protection for their star quarterback. Keenan Allen should be the main beneficiary of that, as he’s already proven to be Herbert’s favorite target. You can likely get Allen a bit later than nearly everyone else on this list, which means you could have the steal of the draft in your fantasy league.
8 | Justin Jefferson | Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings drafted a potential superstar after selecting Justin Jefferson in the draft last year. Jefferson boomed into the scene as a legitimate WR1, even surpassing Adam Thielen as Kirk Cousins’ favorite option. Jefferson was in the running for Rookie of the Year after putting up 88 receptions, 1,400 yards, and seven touchdowns. Those numbers made him the best rookie receiver we’ve seen since Randy Moss.
The Vikings play a similar style offense as the Titans, as everything starts with Dalvin Cook. However, with how well Jefferson played during his rookie campaign, it’s hard to imagine the coaching staff doesn’t find more ways to get him involved. He’s in for a massive year and has the potential to become a top-five wide receiver in the league.
9 | Michael Thomas | New Orleans Saints
It was a tough 2020 season for Michael Thomas as he dealt with injuries, sidelining him for nine games. The quarterback situation wasn’t the best for the New Orleans Saints last year either. Drew Brees struggled to throw the ball deep down the field, and Taysom Hill just doesn’t have the best arm either. Thomas had a disappointing fantasy season, as he only finished with 40 receptions, 438 yards, and zero touchdowns.
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He should have a bounce-back year in 2021, but it all depends on the quarterback situation. Jameis Winston would be the best option for Thomas to regain fantasy football relevance once again. However, with Taysom Hill looming in the corner, it’s hard to gauge Michael Thomas at the moment. He should still be considered a top 10 wide receiver regardless of who the Saints’ starting is quarterback next year.
10 | Terry McLaurin | Washington Football Team
The Washington Football Team has built themselves a nice little squad this offseason. Terry McLaurin aims to have a career year in 2021 after the front office signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to the roster. McLaurin has been quarterback proof so far, but with Fitz-Magic under center, Scary Terry now has a true gunslinger throwing him the ball. Last year, McLaurin played with Dwayne Haskins, Alex Smith, and Taylor Heinicke as his quarterbacks. Even with this lackluster group, McLaurin still managed 87 receptions, 1,118 yards, and four touchdowns.
The best thing for this franchise is to find the quarterback of the future. Fitzpatrick is an upgrade compared to who has been playing for Washington, but the front office should be searching for another upgrade in the NFL draft. Either way, McLaurin should be considered a top receiver in the league right now, and he has the potential to break the top 10 in fantasy football. He’ll likely be a bit further down on draft rankings compared to the rest of the names on this list, which means you could be selecting the steal of your fantasy draft.
